Northfield Man Charged Federally with Distribution of Child Pornography

MINNEAPOLIS—Today, in federal court, a 40-year-old Northfield man was charged with distribution of child pornography. Charles Edward Bracken was charged via an information with one count of distribution of child pornography.

According to the information, on September 16, 2010, Bracken used his computer to distribute an image file depicting the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

If convicted, Bracken faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison, a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, as well as possible fines and forfeitures. Of course, all sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen B. Schommer.

Possession of child pornography is against the law. In addition to prosecuting these cases, the Justice Department is presently funding a study focused on the correlation between involvement in child pornography and hands-on sexual abuse of children. A 2008 study (The Butner Study) published in the Journal of Family Violence found that up to 80 percent of federal inmates incarcerated for possession, receipt, or distribution of child pornography also admitted to hands-on sexual abuse of children, ranging from touching to rape.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “Resources.”

A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.